


Elevator Music

by pass76



Series: A Story Told in Three Parts: [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Doctor Liam Dunbar, Elevatiors, F/M, Feelings, Fluff, Human AU, M/M, Paramedic Theo Raeken, not cannon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-25 22:18:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13844175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pass76/pseuds/pass76
Summary: All of the significant things that happened to Liam and Theo, all from inside of the elevator.





	Elevator Music

**Author's Note:**

> Although there are no warnings there is some talk of a shooting.

Liam and Mason pushed another box into the elevator, trying to squeeze in as he pressed the number four. 

“Hold the elevator please,” someone yells, running towards the elevator. 

“Sure,” Mason says, putting a hand between the doors to stop them from closing.

The stranger saunters onto the elevator, flipping his hair back and running a hand through it. He was sweaty and Liam cringed at the thought of having to touch that hair. “Press five please,” the guy says. 

“Sure thing,” Liam says with a smile, reaching over the box to press the number. 

“Must be moving in?” The guys asks.

“Yeah, 425,” Liam answers with a smile. 

The guy give him a smirk and there’s a twinkle in his eyes that Liam can’t place. “Oh neat, 525,” he says, reaching out a hand to shake. “It’s Theo, Theo Raeken.”

Liam squints, hesitantly reaching out to shake his hand. “Liam Dunbar, this is my friend Mason,” Liam says, retracting his hand.

“What’s up dude?” Mason says with a salute.

Theo nods at him and his smirk grows. 

The elevator dings and the door opens on the fourth floor. Liam and Mason pull out the boxes from the elevator shuffling them towards his door. Liam looks over his shoulder to see the elevator doors closing and Theo staring at him. Theo gives Liam a two finger salute right as the doors close. 

“I don’t like him,” Liam says as him and Mason walk into the apartment.

“Like who?” Corey asks from somewhere in the bedroom.

“The guy on the elevator,” Mason says, rolling his eyes and shutting the door behind him. 

+++

“Oh my God,” Liam says, rolling over in bed and putting the pillow over his head. 

Theo was upstairs jumping around so much that it was starting to sound like a heard of fucking elephants. 

Liam flipped over and looked at the clock. It was 3:30 in the fucking morning and Liam had to be up and at the hospital in two hours. Two hours and he was going to have to deal with patients and people. 

“Ahhhhh!” Liam screams, getting out of bed and slipping on his sneakers. 

Liam marched out of his apartment going to the elevator and pressing the up button. The elevator dings in a matter of second and the doors open and Theo is standing there. 

“Ah Liam,” Theo says, snickering. 

“You think this is funny?” Liam asks gesturing to himself.

“Well you do look kind of stupid,” Theo says, snickering again.

“No, no, you do not get to laugh at me. I have two hours until I have to be up and at the hospital dealing with people and you have a heard of fucking elephants marching around upstairs. I am tired and felt like I haven’t slept in ages and you have fucking elephants over!” Liam yells at Theo. 

“Ah, see those are just my friends,” Theo says leveling him with a look.

“Well please do me a favor and go upstairs and tell them to shut the fuck up,” Liam says, turning on his heal and marching right back to his apartment. 

Liam slams the door and turns on the TV, giving up on the hope of having a little bit of sleep before he had to go into work again. 

+++

Liam was wasted. He knew he was wasted but he didn’t give a fuck. This was his first few days off work in forever and damnit he was going to fucking enjoy it. After his shift was over he went to Jackson’s, the bar across the street from the hospital, and down enough margaritas and tequila shots he surprised he’s even still alive. 

“Here we go, I got ya,” someone says from beside him. He looks over and sees familiar red hair. Lydia, it was Lydia. 

“Thanks for, for helpin me howme,” Liam stutters. 

“Mhmm, no problem. As long as you’re sober by the time you come back on Monday then I don’t care.” 

“You gonna let me scrub in,” Liam asks, hopeful. 

“As long as you don’t puke on my shoes,” Lydia says, tucking her hair behind her ear as they walk through the front door of his building. 

“I will not!” Liam declares loudly. 

“Shh,” Lydia says shoving him into the elevator. “What number?” 

“Four,” he hears someone else say before he has the chance to answer. 

Liam looks over and sees Theo smirking at him from the other corner of the elevator. He was in a paramedic uniform, hair disheveled, with a backpack slung over his shoulder. Liam scowled at him. 

“This is the hot idiot from upstairs who stomps around all the time,” Liam whisper yells to Lydia. 

Theo raises an eyebrow at him and smirks at Lydia. “You said that out loud Li,” Lydia says, giving him he best mom eyes. 

Liam cowers and mocks zipping his mouth shut. 

The elevator opens on his floor and Lydia fishes his keys out of his front pocket. “Come on Little Li, let’s get you home,” she says, pulling him off the elevator. 

Liam turns around and waves at Theo. Theo smirks and gives a tiny wave back. 

+++

Liam frantically pressed the down button on the elevator, if he waited any longer he was going to be late. But Liam would be damned before taking the stairs, he was tired and hungover and he wasn’t fucking having it. He pressed the button a few more times, cursing under his breath.

He turned around, heading toward the steps, groaning right as the elevator dings. He turned back around on his heal. “Thank fuck,” he mumbles.

The doors open and he sees Theo leaning against the wall, a smirk on his face and his hair falling lightly in his face. Liam rolls his eyes, stepping onto the elevator.

“Aw little Li, looks like you had a long night,” Theo says from behind Liam.

“Fuck off,” Liam says, rolling his eyes again, pressing the button for the first floor repeatedly, hoping that it would move them faster. Any more time than necessary in this space with Theo was going to turn to hell.

“Little Li, Little Li, why so hostile?” Theo says around another smirk.

Liam rolls his eyes, pressing the button again. Why the fuck was this elevator so slow. It was more than enough that Liam was going to have to see Theo at work but here too? “Can I not just have a peaceful elevator ride?” Liam mumbles under his breath, urgently pressing the button some more.

“If you keep up with that then you’re going to break the elevator, and then you’ll be stuck in here with me forever," Theo says, wiggling his fingers at Liam like he was saying something spooky.

The elevator dings and the doors open and Liam practically runs out of them and towards the parking lot.

+++

Liam slipped on his dress shoes and headed to the elevator, locking his door and grabbing an umbrella on the way out. He pressed the button and pulled his phone out to send his mom an I’m on the way text. 

Liam shoved his phone back into his pocket as the doors slid open. Liam met eyes with Theo as he stepped into the elevator. Liam kept his eyes forward, refusing to turn and look at Theo. 

“You look nice Little Li,” he says, and Liam can tell that he’s wearing his signature smirk without even having to look at him. “What’s the occasion?” 

“My mom’s birthday,” Liam grumbles, fiddling with the string of his umbrella. "And don't call me that."

“Why so grumpy?” Theo asks.

“I’m fucking tired as fuck,” Liam snarks back. It was unnecessary and maybe a little asshole-ish, but Liam was tired. He just came out of a 26 hour shift with no sleep and now he was going to have to go celebrate his mom’s birthday. He was going to have to socialize with all of his mom and dad’s fancy friends and his friends too. 

“Ouch Little Li, that hurt,” Theo says, putting a hand over his heart like he was physically wounded. 

Liam turns to face him and sees that he isn’t in his uniform this time but in sweats and a t-shirt, earbuds hanging around his neck, and running shoes on his feet. Was it even possible for Theo to look more like a wet dream? “I’m sorry,” Liam says, turning back to the front of the elevator. 

Liam hears a rumble of thunder and then Theo and him are plunged into darkness. Liam feels his heart rate spike as he pressed the buttons on the elevator, none of them working. The elevator had stopped with then in it. Liam started to sweat as he pressed the button again, over and over, praying for the elevator to pick back up its pace and let him out on the first floor. 

“Little Li,” Theo says from behind him, “it’s okay. The power must have gone off. Just take a deep breath for me okay.” 

Liam feels like he’s in a tunnel and Theo is speaking to him from far, far away. Liam snaps his eyes open and sees Theo so clearly. There is concern in his eyes and he’s holding onto Liam’s shoulders. “Breathe with me Li,” Theo says. He’s starting to sound a little closer. 

Liam drags in a breath of air, letting it fill his lungs. There’s a tightness in his chest and it makes him panic even more. Theo places his hand on Liam’s chest. “In,” Theo says as both of them take a breath in, “out,” he says as they breathe out. They repeat this a few times until Liam feels his whole body again, sliding down the elevator wall. 

“Fuck I’m going to be late,” Liam says. It was inappropriate timing and it made Liam and Theo burst into a fit of giggles. 

“Go on, text your mom,” Theo says after they stop laughing. 

Liam shots his mom and Mason a quick text that he’ll be just a bit late, that he’ll call an explain when he can. When Liam raises his head again Theo is sitting beside him, shoulder to shoulder, and the contact shouldn’t cause that unfamiliar drop in his stomach but it does anyways. 

Theo has his phone out and is texting someone. Liam peers over his shoulder and see he’s texting the landlord. “Blake says that they’re working on getting the backup generators running that it shouldn’t be too long,” Theo says, locking his phone and setting it on the floor next to him. 

They sat in silence for a moment but Liam couldn’t take it for much longer. “So you’re a paramedic, right?” Liam asks. 

“Yeah,” Theo responds, playing with his hands. 

“Do you like it?” Liam asks.

“Some days more than others,” Theo answers. Liam nods his head and turns away from Theo. “You’re a nurse right?” Theo asks. 

Liam snaps his head around to look at him with a scowl. He sees Theo smirking at him instead. “No, I’m a doctor,” Liam says proudly. 

“I know, I’m just teasing,” Theo says, bumping his shoulder. “You work at Beacon Hills Memorial right?” He asks. 

“Yeah, I’m a resident right now, I’ll be an attending in a year and a half,” Liam smiles big, it made himself proud to now that he was almost there and hadn’t died yet. 

“Why be a doctor?” Theo asks, turning to face Liam.

“Because every day is a great day to save lives,” Liam answers, turning his head to look at Theo. Theo was so close that Liam could count his eyelashes. His eyes were a beautiful hazel, almost clear, it made Liam feel things in his stomach that he didn’t know that he could feel, that he hadn’t felt sense Hayden. “What about you, why are you a paramedic?” Liam says, an almost whisper, his mouth becoming dry all of the sudden.

“Because I like changing lives.” Liam cocks his head to the side, wanting more. Theo must have caught on because he continued. “I’m the first person that someone sees, I get to be the person who begins to save their life.” 

Liam smiles at him, running his hand through his hair as he turns away from Theo. They sit there in silence for a few more moments before Theo breaks it again. “You look really nice tonight,” he says, “that shirt brings out your eyes.” 

Liam can feel himself blush, his face heating as he looks anywhere but Theo. “Thanks,” Liam says, turning back to look at Theo. “You don’t look bad either,” Liam says, his heart pounding in his chest as he takes his eyes up and down Theo’s body. 

When Liam catches Theo’s eyes again he sees that he’s smirking at Liam, he caught Liam looking. It makes Liam blush bright crimson again. “Thanks,” Theo says, turning so his side was pressed against Liam’s again. 

Liam’s sucks in a breath of air, trying not to move, afraid that he’d loose the feeling of Theo against him. It terrified and excited him at the same time. The elevator gives a small creak before the lights come back on and they start moving again. Liam gets up and dusts off his dress pants. “Thank God,” Liam whispers. 

When the doors open Theo jogs backwards past him, his hoodie pulled up over his hair. “Latter Little Li.” 

Fuck, Liam thought. 

+++

 

Liam was folding the chart back up, riding the elevator from floor three to floor eleven to check on his patient. She just got out of surgery with Stiles and Liam just wanted to make sure that everything was going to be okay. The elevator slows around floor five, coming to a stop as the doors open.

“Ah, Little Li, fancy seeing you here,” Theo says, throwing a dashing smile over his shoulder as he presses the button for floor ten, leaning against the side of the elevator.

“Theo,” Liam says, bobbing his head in a sort of hello.

“Yes that does happen to be my name.” And Liam lets that one go, just content with riding the elevator in somewhat silence, the only sound his and Theo’s breathing and the awful elevator music. “Having a good day are you?”

“Yes, why yes I am,” Liam answers with enough sass to come across as sarcastic.

“Ouch,” Theo says, placing a hand over his heart, "I thought that you liked me at least a little bit." He was in his EMT uniform and Liam was trying his hardest not to find it somewhat attractive.

“What are you even doing on the elevator? Doesn’t your work usually involve an ambulance and not the inside of a hospital?” Liam snarls.

"Usually, but I just had to see you today Little Li. I just couldn't keep myself away," Theo smirks at Liam.

"What makes you think that I wanted to see you?"

“Ouch again Little Li, are you going for the jugular today? Did you not get enough sleep?” Theo says, pushing himself up from the wall just as the elevator gives a ding and open on the tenth floor.

Theo exits and the doors close. “Dammit,” Liam says, running his hand through his hair.

+++

When Liam finally got back to his building (from the longest night shift ever) he was about to fall over on his face. He blindly pressed the up button for the elevator, slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

“Woah there Little Li, you almost hit me,” Theo says, stepping in behind Liam, pressing the up button again.

“Mmmm,” Liam hums in response, he was too tired to even think of a response.

“You okay Little Li?” Theo asks, casually leaning against the wall on the other side of the doors. Liam blinks up from where he was looking at the floor and gives Theo a once over.

Theo was still in his blue cargo pants and blue collared shirt from work, his shirt untucked and hanging around the walkie-talkie that was strapped to his belt, he had on big clunky black boots and his hair was falling over his eyes perfectly. He looked like a wet dream walking.

Liam was still in his light blue scrubs, a light coat pulled on instead of the white lab coat he wore around the hospital. He had bag under his eyes and his hair was greasy from how many times he ran his hands through it. He needed a shower but was going to be surprised if he could make it to the bathroom before falling on his face.

Compared to Theo he probably looked like shit. No he knew he looked like shit. “Long day,” is all Liam gives him as the elevator gives a gracious ding.

The doors open and Mrs. Couper from 315 gives them a little smile and a wave. “Hello boys,” she says as he hobbles towards the door.

“Hey,” Liam says, too quiet to be heard.

Liam drags himself in the elevator, pressing the number four and five before leaning back against the side wall. Liam closed his eyes, his head press against the cool metal, letting himself forget about the long day and the weight of the pager on his side. He was on call tonight and Liam prayed to whatever God that there would be nothing traumatic so he could get at least five hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Liam felt a little jolt and someone say his name, then there was a hand around his waist, pulling him out of the elevator. “Liam, where are your keys?” And was that Theo asking?

Liam goes to reach into his side pocket but there’s another hand reaching into the pocket of his scrubs then a click of the door before it was opened. Liam was then in bed, his shoes being slipped off, followed by his pants. Liam was even too tired to say anything snarky about Theo needing to take him on a date first. Liam curled up under the covers, bringing them around his face taking a deep breath in of home.

“I set your pager in your bedside table,” Theo said.

“Mmmm,” Liam hums again refusing to open his eyes.

“Goodnight Little Li.”

The front door clicks again and Liam is fast asleep.

+++

Liam wakes up to an insistent knock on his door and his pager going off on his bedside table. He flips the covers off of him and sees that he is in his scrub top and boxers. He clicks his pager off, looking to the clock and seeing that it is 3:30 in the morning.

“Fuck,” Liam says rushing to the door and almost slipping in his socks. “Coming, coming.”

Liam opens the door and sees Theo leaning against the threshold, the smirk that he usually wore replaced with a grimace. “There was a five car pile-up, they’re calling in everyone that was on call.”

“You look like you’re dying,” Liam says bluntly, leaving the door open and expecting Theo to follow him in.

“I feel like I’m dying,” Theo says, walking into Liam’s apartment, shutting the door behind him. “I only got three hours of sleep.”

“Well I got a little over five,” Liam says, peeking his head through the door.

“You could say thank you Little Li,” Theo says, making himself a bowl of cereal.

“Thank you,” Liam calls from the bedroom, slipping into a fresh pair of light blue scrubs and sneakers.

“You look nice,” Theo says, shoveling spoonful after spoonful of cereal in his face.

“You do too,” Liam snorts. Theo was in his paramedic uniform, hair falling in his face.

“You snorted.”

“Yes, yes I did.” Liam takes a bite of Theo’s cereal.

“Ass,” Theo says, swatting at Liam’s hand.

“I do what I can,” Liam says, smiling at Theo, packing his overnight bag for the hospital.

“How long is your shift?” Theo asks.

“Twelve hours. I am so tired, so freaking tired.”

“Well after that then what?”

“Sleep, glorious sleep,” Liam says, grabbing an orange juice from the fridge.

Theo finishes his cereal, cleans his bowl out, an then sets it on the drying rack. Theo grabs an apple from the bowl in the center of the table. “Come on Little Li, time to go save lives,” Theo says, walking toward the door, lacing up his boots.

“Alright, go press the button, we don’t want to have to wait forever.” Liam grabs his bag and jacket, locking the door and racing to the elevator.

Theo is leaning against the elevator, smirking as the doors open. “C’mon Little Li.”

Liam is leaning against the inside of the elevator, his head nodding off in sleep. Liam can feel Theo moving, shifting his weight in the elevator. Theo comes up behind Liam, tucking his head over Liam’s shoulder. Theo noses Liam’s jaw, breathing in. “You smell like hospital and sick people,” Theo says.

“You’re tickling me,” Liam sighs, tilting his head to give more access to Theo.

“You like it Little Li,” Theo says, smiling into Liam’s neck.

“Mmm,” Liam hums, groaning as his pager went off again. Liam looks at it to see a 911 from Chief Hale. “Fuck, this is going to be such a long shift.”

“Tell me about it,” Theo noses behind Liam’s ear, taking one last lungful of Liam before the elevator comes to a stop and he steps away. “See you at work Little Li.”

+++

Liam was about to fall over, but that was the beauty of working in medicine right? No sleep for doctors. He knew this when his dad did it and now he was experiencing it. He was tired and ready to go home.

The five car pile-up was eventually taken care of and it has been a full twelve hours and Liam was ready to go home. His head hurt and he hasn’t slept in what felt like weeks. Liam pressed the elevator button, waiting for the familiar ding.

He hears the elevator ding and blindly walks on, his shoulders slumping as he leans against the side of the elevator. His heart rate starts to pick up and his breathe is getting more rapid. Liam slides down the back wall of the elevator. Liam puts is head between his knees trying to count the dots on the floor to keep himself from spiraling down to a panic.

Stiles told him about this, told him how to deal with the panic. He ties to breathe through it, to repeat the mantra, the sun, the moon, the truth. He hears something off in the distance, feeling the world beneath him stop moving.

“Liam,” it was a faint whisper, and Liam could see the dots on the floor again. His vision was still blurry but he could count them.

“One,” Liam starts, a hand resting on his shoulder. “Two,” Liam says, noticing the color of his shoes, blue they were blue. “Three,” Liam says, sniffing the air, smelling lightly of death. “Four,” Liam says, hearing Theo lightly calling Liam’s name. “Five,” Liam says, feeling the weight of his tongue, tasting the coffee that he had a couple hours ago.

“Liam, Little Li,” Theo says.

For the first time Liam can see that the elevator has stopped. The lights were off, and there was the familiar smell of Theo. Of peppermint and lavender, of the sweat of a long day, and of the leather of his boots.

“Little Li,” Theo says, grabbing one of Liam’s hands and kissing his knuckles.

Liam lifts his head out from between his knees and looks Theo in the eyes. His eyes were almost clear today, they looked like little pools behind his eyelids. “You have pools for eyes,” Liam says with a smirk.

“Well you look like shit,” Theo says.

“Wow, what a way to make me feel good,” Liam rolls his eyes, huffing a fake laugh.

Theo shifts and sits down next to Liam. “You should take tomorrow off,” Theo says, rubbing his hands down his pants.

“I am, I’m not scheduled again until,” Liam counts on his fingers, “God, another twenty-four hours, tomorrow.”

“Me either, so how about we go home, huh?” Theo asks, moving to sit crisscrossed, facing Liam.

“How was your day?” Liam asks.

“We are sitting in an elevator, the emergency button pulled, and you’re asking about my day?” Theo asks, an eyebrow raised, a smirk on is mouth.

“Well,” Liam pauses to think about what Theo just said. Liam burst into laughter, full blown hysterical laughter.

“We need to get you home,” Theo says, moving to get up.

Liam grabs his hand and pulls him back down. Liam lays his head on his shoulder for one moment, a million thoughts running through his head. Liam thinks about what it would be like to kiss Theo, what it would be like to finally get his lips on Theo’s.

No, no that was just the tired talking. That was the no sleep in forty-eight hours other than what could only count as a five hour nap, talking. Liam was tired, there was no way he’d kiss Theo otherwise. Right?

Liam turns to look at Theo, sees his hair falling into his eyes, a light smirk as if he could tell what Liam was thinking. Liam leans in and presses a light kiss on the corner of Theo’s mouth. “Aw, Little Li, you could have at least have done it right,” Theo says.

Theo lets his hand come to the back of Liam’s head, playing with the little hairs on the back of Liam’s neck. Theo gazes at him for a minute, a smile behind his hazel, clear, swimming pool eyes. Then Theo leans in and kisses Liam, letting his tongue swipe across Liam’s bottom lip before Liam opens his mouth and let their tongues dance.

Theo moved his other hand to Liam’s back, which made Liam hate those long lab coats. Liam pulled Theo in closer, trying to take in every last bit of him that he could, smashing their faces together.

Liam pulled away, breathing heavy, his chest feeling lighter but a new wave of exhaustion settling over him. “Can you help take me home?” Liam asks.

“Yeah, let’s go,” Theo says, getting up and pushing back in the emergency button.

+++

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Liam says as he rushes towards the elevator, trying hard to press the button while also tying his shoe.

“Ah Little Li, what’s the rush?” Theo says, closing Liam’s door and locking it while sauntering up behind him, putting a hand on his waist.

“Dr. Hale, Chief Dr. Hale, just paged me, paged ME. That means that I need to get to the hospital as soon as I possibly can. Which means running and pressing buttons continuously even though you know it won’t make the elevator come any faster.” Liam was dying to get there, a heart surgery (A HEART SURGERY!!), and he was paging Liam.

“I don’t know why a heart surgery could be this important,” Theo says, gesturing to all of Liam.

“It’s a freaking HEART SURGERY!” Liam yells.

“Oh my God Liam, it’s like two in the morning, calm down. People are trying to sleep.”

“Heart Surgery,” Liam whisper yells while giving spirit hands.

“Okay Little Li,” Theo says, patting Liam’s shoulder. The elevator dings and Liam trips over his shoelaces into the elevator while Theo gives out a full belly laugh. “Oh my God Liam, tie your damn laces.”

The elevator doors closes and Liam presses the button for the first floor. Theo bends over and ties Liam shoe laces, looking up at Liam through his lashes. Theo drags his hands up the side of Liam’s legs making Liam’s breath catch in his throat. “Oh God,” Liam whispers.

“Let me kiss you,” Theo says, pulling in Liam by the back of his neck, connecting their mouths. The kiss was slow and languid, a push and pull of tongues, slippery and wet in all the right ways. Liam moans into the kiss, his hands slipping under Theo’s shirt, roaming all over his skin. His skin was warm and smooth and made Liam never want to leave here. Never wanted to leave Theo.

The elevator dings and Liam hums into Theo’s mouth. “Theo, Theo, I have to go.” Liam says between kisses. “Heart surgery,” Liam hums into Theo’s mouth, hiding his head into Theo’s shoulder as the doors open.

Liam runs out of the elevator, tripping on his shoelaces again. Theo starts laughing at Liam again, another full belly laugh that made Liam smile because when did Theo ever laugh. “Little Li do you need me to buy you shoes with Velcro?”

“Ha, ha,” Liam says, tying his shoes again.

“Let’s go Dopey.”

+++

Theo runs to the elevator and puts an arm between the doors to stop them from closing. “Ah Dopey, fancy seeing you here.”

Liam smiles at the ground, running a hand through his hair.

“What’s got you so happy?” Theo asks, not even bother pressing the button for his own floor.

“I’m an attending,” Liam says, his heart racing with joy, “I am an attending in the cardio wing. I am cardiothoracic surgeon!” Liam shouts at the ceiling.

Theo smiles at Liam and Liam smiles back. “Here,” Theo says, shoving the bag at Liam, “I bought you something.”

Liam smiles at Theo, words failing him at how much Theo kept surprising him. Liam opens the bag letting out a full body laugh. “Velcro shoes, you bought me Velcro shoes.”

“Yeah, I thought that maybe it would help you from tripping all over the place, on your patients, and out of elevators.”

“How very thoughtful of you,” Liam says smiling at Theo.

“You know if it's in the safety of your patients then that's all that matters. Right Dopey?”

“You know I preferred Little Li better.” The elevator dings and Liam walks out onto his floor, fishing his keys out of his pocket. “You coming with me?”

“I thought that you would never ask,” Theo says, stepping forward off the elevator.

+++

The elevator doors closed behind Theo and Liam and Liam just started to lose it. “Dammit, dammit, dammit!” Liam screams. “Fuck, I lots that damn patient. I held his heart into my hands and it stopped because of me.”

“Liam that was not you, those things happen all the time,” Theo says.

“What do you know about those things?”

Theo takes a step to the side, pulling the emergency button, stopping the elevator. “I know about these things because it happens all the time. Being too late to the scene, having absolutely nothing else left to do. Bodies mangled beyond recognition. But the worst part is giving away the patient when we get to the hospital, all of that not knowing. Not knowing if what you did on the way to the hospital was enough to keep that person alive. So I know, I know about all of these things.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean,” Liam says, fishing from some words to say.

“I know wat you meant,” Theo says, stepping in front of Liam, letting Liam’s head fall on his shoulder. Theo lets his hands run up and down Liam’s back.

“This was one of my first major surgeries. Derek gave this to me, he gave me this surgery because he thought that I could do this. I can’t Theo, I can’t do this. I am not good enough for this,” Liam blubbers out.

Theo continues to hold Liam, rubbing a hand up and down his back. Liam found it comforting more so than anything. “How about we go and find an on call room,” Theo asks.

“Okay,” Liam blubbers again.

Theo goes to press the emergency button again, letting the elevator stop on the third floor while grabbing Liam’s hand. “C’mon,” Theo says, pulling Liam out of the elevator.

+++

After the day is over Liam finally walks onto the elevator, which leads to his room, to his bed, to glorious sleep. . “Hey, hey Dopey,” Theo says, running up behind Liam, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey there,” Liam says.

“What you doing?”

“I am going home, to sleep,” Liam says, humming as Theo snakes his hands around Liam’s waist.

“Mind if I come with you?”

“Not at all.”

Theo starts to kiss Liam’s neck, hands sliding up Liam’s scrub top, trailing over the hair on his stomach. Theo starts to suck a light bruise on Liam’s neck, something Liam knows is going to show. The elevator dings on Liam’s floor and Liam grabs Theo’s hand, dragging him towards his door.

“Come with me,” Liam says with me.

“I can come with you in more ways than one.”

Liam gets his keys out of his pocket, unlocking the door and setting his stuff on the floor. Theo has stepped toward Liam, stripping him of his jacket as he attacked Liam’s mouth. The kiss was hot and wet with no tact.

Theo tugged at his top and Liam raised his arms to let Theo strip him of his shirt. Theo takes a step back, his eyes roaming over Liam’s chest. “Holy fuck, when do you have time to work out?” Theo asks.

“Um, during my free time,” Liam says, pulling at Theo’s belt, “plus I’m a doctor and all doctors are fit as fuck.”

“Well let me get those pants off and see if your legs are as fit as the rest of you,” Theo says as he pulls his belt out of his pants.

+++

Working in a hospital Liam has learned that every single day always brought something different to the table. This though, this was something that Liam had never thought of happening at Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital. There was an active shooter at his hospital.

Liam was hidden in a small conference room on the first floor near the ER. He was shaking and sweating so bad that it was making his vision blurry. All Liam could think about was what the least thing was he said to everyone. The last thing he said to Theo, to his mom, to Stiles, shit to Mason. It made Liam sick to his stomach to think that he might die here today and never be able to say anything to any of them ever again.

Liam felt himself start to panic, his heart racing, muscles quivering. He wanted to throw up, he wanted to throw up and cry.

Liam pulls himself together, getting up off the floor and peaking around through the blinds before opening the door. Liam walks out and sees Theo standing with a patient in the bay of the ER.

Liam feels his stomach settle the slightest bit, his heart no longer giving a stutter at the mere thought of never being able to see him again. “The elevator,” Liam whispers.

Liam heads to the elevator, pressing the button. Theo rolls the patient up behind him, Liam cursing the elevator for being so slow. When the doors finally ding letting him know that it’s there Theo and Liam roll the patient on, pressing the emergency stop as soon as the doors close.

“Liam, Liam, are you okay?” Theo’s hands are all over his chest, checking for injury, but Liam was fine.

“I saw them get shot, I watched as he shot them,” Liam whispers, his lip quivering as tears escape his eyes.

“Little Li,” Theo whispers, pulling Liam into a hug.

Liam let himself fall into Theo’s arms, let the smell of peppermint and lavender take over all of his senses. “I can’t remember the last thing that I said to you. I was about to die and I was worried about the last thing that I said to everyone.”

“You asked me for another round,” Theo smirks into Liam’s neck.

Liam goes to shove him away but Theo won’t budge. “Was it a second round? I thought we were close to our third?” Liam asks.

“I love you,” Theo says, abruptly with no explanation.

Liam stands there stunned for a minute, unable to do anything but look at Theo. “I love you too,” Liam says, heart warm and sure.

“I really don’t mean to interrupt you two because that was the sweetest thing I have ever heard, but like could you help save me?” The patient asks from the gurney.

“Yeah, this is Liam Dunbar, the best heart surgeon ever, my boyfriend, the man I love, and he’ll get right to fixing you up,” Theo says with a quick smile and a peck to Liam’s lips.

+++

“Liam,” Theo starts, grabbing Liam’s hand and bringing it to his mouth to kiss the knuckles one by one, “you may be an amazing lay, but you’re an even better date.” 

Liam blushes, feeling all the blood that he had left retreating south. Liam pulls Theo into their building and toward the elevator, pressing the button as soon as he was close enough. 

Theo crowded against Liam’s back as they waited for the elevator to ding. Theo moves his arms around Liam’s middle, body becoming flush with Liam’s, no room to move. Theo hooked his head on Liam’s shoulder, digging it in a bit before finally settling in the crook of Liam’s neck. Theo presses a soft kiss to Liam’s jaw and Liam can feel the smile spreading across Theo’s face. 

“Thanks, for tonight,” Liam says, playing with Theo’s fingers.

“I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” Theo said, kissing Liam’s jaw again. 

The thing was that the date wasn’t all that special, but it was at Liam’s favorite pizza place, his favorite ice cream shop, and his favorite movie. Theo was trying to make him feel better and it was working. 

Ever sense that fateful day in the hospital two weeks ago Liam hasn’t let Theo go. They changed their schedules so that they could be around each other. Liam found it easier to go to sleep when Theo was there. 

The elevator dings and he walks on, dragging Theo behind him, pressing the button to his floor. “Love you,” Theo whispers into Liam’s hair behind the shell of his ear. It makes Liam smile and his cheeks go hot. 

Liam stands there thinking about how when they get off this elevator Theo is going to come to his apartment and shower and change to the clothes that Theo has his own drawer of. Theo is going to brush his teeth with the toothbrush that’s sits in a toothbrush holder next to Liam’s. He’s going to curl up in Liam’s bed and read over the schedule two more times off his laptop that’s plugged into Liam’s wall. Theo is then going to take off his glasses and put them on Liam’s dresser and leave them there until the next night when he comes over and does it all again. 

Liam smiles at the slight realization that it wasn’t just Liam’s stuff anymore. It wasn’t Liam’s stuff with a few stolen things from Mason. It wasn’t Liam’s stuff with Corey’s things all over his living room table. It wasn’t Liam’s stuff with Scott’s forgetten scrubs, or Stiles forgotten sneakers (?), or Lydia’s forgotten hair ties, or Malia’s leftover pizza box, or Derek’s sweatshirts. 

It was Liam’s stuff with Theo’s things. Theo’s stuff on Liam’s things. And Liam was happy about them being there. He then realized he didn’t want Theo to just have a drawer he wanted him to have half the closet and half the fridge space. 

Liam wanted Theo to move in. It terrified him and excited him, the realization shaking him to his bones. 

Liam stepped away from Theo, turning around to face him. “Move in with me,” Liam says confidently.

Theo’s eyes go wide and his mouth opens a bit. “Okay,” he says and Liam pulled him into a kiss, sweet and light, right as the elevator doors open. 

+++

Liam shoved Theo as he dragged another box into the elevator. “You sure you have enough room for all of this?” Theo asks, lightly bumping his shoulder with Liam’s. 

Liam smiles, he was still upset at Theo for pushing it off for so long, they just had an argument the other day about how Theo wasn’t able to completely commit to Liam and to the whole moving in thing. Hearing that Theo was afraid made Liam’s heart hurt for ever doubting him, for ever rushing him 

“Li,” Theo whispers from the other side of the elevator, two big boxes between them. 

“Yeah?” Liam answers softly.

“You going to press the button?” Theo asks, reaching across the box and grabbing Liam’s hand. 

“I don’t want you to do this unless you want to do this. I don’t want to be the pushy boyfriend. I did this with Hayden and she left because of it. We were moving too fast and she fucking moved across the fucking United States. I want you to move in with me because you’re ready and because you want to, not because I made you.” Liam’s chest is tight and he can feel the burn of tears in his throat. He couldn’t lose Theo, he couldn’t. He needed him, needed Theo to feel safe. 

“Li, Liam, look at me,” Liam lifts his head to see that Theo had somehow weaseled his way around the boxes and came to stand beside Liam. “You are not the pushy boyfriend. Hayden was stupid for leaving such a package behind. I wouldn’t have you helping me shove box after box in the elevator if I wasn’t ready to move in with you. I love you Little Li,” Theo kisses Liam’s hand and it makes Liam’s stomach do a somersault. 

“I just want to be good for you,” Liam says, running his free hand through his hair, tugging at the ends. 

“You are good for me, so, so good for me,” Theo presses his smile to Liam’s lips and Liam can’t help but smile back, the kiss just becoming a press of smiling lips and teeth. 

Theo reaches over Liam, half his body over the box to press the button for Liam’s floor. Liam reaches over and gives Theo’s ass a light spank. 

“Oh Little Li, you’re playing a dangerous game,” Theo says, eyes sparkling as he moves back to his side of the elevator. 

+++

Liam did not want to go to this stupid gala at the hospital tonight. It meant he had to dress up in slacks that were too tight and wear a white dress shirt that he was going to spill something on. Derek had told him that sense he was a surgeon at Beacon Hills Memorial he basically had no choice. 

Liam had spent all afternoon with Lydia and Malia, helping them pick out dresses while he was having to pick a tie that was going to match Theo’s waistcoat. They argued over which color would make both of their eyes pop. They decided on a light green. Liam just smiled and nodded his head, but really he was internally screaming. 

“Why can’t we just wear our scrubs,” He asks Scott and Stiles as they neatly tightened each other’s ties before stepping onto the elevator. 

“Because Der said that suits were more presentable to the people that will be giving this hospital money,” Stiles says, winking at Liam. 

“Nah, Derek just likes to see your ass in those tight trousers,” Liam says, smirking at Stiles and Scott. 

“We cannot dispute what is true,” Stiles says, straightening his suit jacket. 

“Hey Li, wasn’t Theo coming with you to this thing, Malia told me she searched for a matching waistcoat and tie all day yesterday?” Scott asks, twisting his fingers as he pressed the button for the second floor. 

“Yeah he just had to go visit someone first,” Liam said, trying to keep his face as still as possible. 

“Okay,” Stiles says wearily. The elevator dings on the second floor, Stiles and Scott stepping off. “You coming?” Stiles asks. 

“Nah, I’m going to check on Theo,” Liam answers. “We’ll be back down in a bit.”

“Okay,” Stiles says giving him a smile. 

Liam presses the button to take him to the tenth floor, keeping his hands in his pockets to keep from messing with his suit and wrinkling it. Liam reached the tenth floor and the elevator doors open and Theo is standing there, a worn look on his face. 

“Hey babe, come here,” Liam says, pulling Theo in by his hand. The elevator doors close but neither Liam nor Theo make a move to press the button to send them to the second floor. “You okay?” Liam asks. 

“Yeah, it’s just getting close,” Theo says, nosing at Liam’s neck. 

“I know,” Liam pauses thinking of anything that he could do.

“I’ve been keeping here, hooked up to a machine. There’s nothing left for her. She gave me her heart and now she’s going to die,” Theo was holding on to Liam so tight that his shoulders were starting to ache. 

“I know, I know,” Liam hushes Theo. 

“She was brain dead after that accident, so she gave me here heart and now I’ve been keeping her alive for five years off a machine because once she’s gone I have no one else.” Theo’s body was now shaking with silent sobs.

“Babe, look at me,” Liam says. Theo leans away so he can look into Liam’s eyes. “You have me, no matter what happens I will be your family now, okay?”

“What about all the holidays?” Theo asks, whipping his nose with the handkerchief that Lydia made him buy. 

“You can spend them with me and my family, then we can go visit her and your parents and bring dinner so that we’re spending the holidays with them too.”

“How did I get so lucky with you?” Theo asks, his face going soft, a small smile lifting the corners of his mouth. 

“No, I’m just lucky I moved in underneath you,” Liam says, kissing Theo’s cheek. 

“In more ways than one right,” Theo jokes, causing Liam to snort. 

“Right,” Liam says, grabbing Theo’s hand and pressing the button for floor number two. “Now let’s go get you cleaned up.” 

+++

Liam and Theo were once again putting on their suits for another fancy occasion, except this time they weren’t going to be matching. Derek and Stiles were getting married today and Liam was on of Stiles groomsmen and Theo was one of Derek’s. 

“I can’t believe they’re getting married,” Liam says, hurrying into his suit so they weren’t late to help their grooms with whatever last minute add-ons. 

“Me either,” Theo says, sauntering out of their bathroom already ready to go. 

He looked like a wet dream. 

“Help me with this tie,” Liam says, rolling his eyes at the sex appeal that Theo had pouring out of him. 

Theo can over and helped him finish tying his tie, giving him a little smirk as he went to go grab the ring from the bedside table. “Isn’t Cora in charge of that?” Liam asks.

“Nope, she just flew in last night so he’s been making me keep it.” 

“Please don’t lose it,” Liam begs, “if you lose it I lose my job.”

Theo rolls his eyes at Liam grabbing all their things before heading to the door. “C’mon Dopey, let’s go.” 

Liam follows him to the elevator, making sure the door is locked before he meets up with him. The elevator doors open and they both step on pressing the button for the first floor. 

Liam is carrying Stiles vows in his pocket and it made him feel so much heavier than he really wanted to be. “Hey Li,” Theo says from behind him. 

Liam turns around to face him, breaking his thinking. “Yeah?” He asks. 

“What would you say if I asked you to marry me?” Theo says, face a serious as can be. 

Liam feels the floor come out from underneath him, making him feel dizzy and light headed. His stomach does a weird dance and his heart flutters in his chest. “I would ask you if you were joking.” 

“Nope, serious as can be,” he says putting his hand over his heart, “scouts honor.” 

Liam gapes at him, his heart continuing to beat out of his chest. “I’d say yes,” Liam finds his mouth saying. 

“Good,” Theo says, marching out of the elevator as soon as they reach the first floor. Liam stays planted where he is, unable to move. “You coming Little Li?” Theo calls after him. 

Liam shuffles out the doors and to the car. 

+++

Liam was so close to quoting his job, every day was getting harder and harder for him to deal with the people that he couldn’t save. He held hearts for a living and he was slowly crushing them. Liam knew there were some that he couldn’t save, knew that sometimes it was up to fate and whoever the universe wanted to live would live, but Liam couldn’t help the overwhelming guilt that he felt sometimes. 

He went to Derek’s office and Derek told him to go home, told him to leave the hospital and not come back until his head was straight. So Liam was walking home. He didn’t think about much really, he just walked. 

When Liam walked up to the building Theo was pulling his truck into the parking lot, giving Liam a weird look. Liam didn’t stop, just kept walking inside towards the elevator that would take him to his apartment so he could sleep and eat this funk off. 

“Wait up Little Li,” Theo says as Liam presses the elevator button.  Theo rakes his eyes over him and Liam knew what he looked like. He looked like hell. He was still in his scrubs and lab coat, stethoscope still hanging around his neck. “You look like hell.” 

Liam hums to let him know that he heard him. 

“You okay?” Theo asks, taking Liam’s hand and threading their fingers together. 

Liam shrugs his shoulders and looks at Theo seeing that his eyes are pleading for him to answer. “It was a really rough day at work.”

“And you just came home?” 

“Derek said I needed to get out to clear my head.” 

“Okay,” Theo pauses as if thinking about something. “Can I ask you a question?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Do you like what you do?” 

“I love it,” Liam answer thinking about all the lives he’s saved. 

“Then why give up?” 

“I’m not, I just need a break.” 

“Bullshit Liam, you have to be one of the best cardiothoracic surgeons that I have ever met. So get your head out of your ass and go back to the hospital.” 

“Wow your words are really encouraging,” Liam says, fiddling with Theo’s fingers. 

The elevator dings on their floor and Theo hops off pushing Liam back in. “Go back to work and save some lives.” Theo leans in for a kiss and then turns around in the direction of their apartment. “Be home soon, I have a surprise for you.” 

The elevator doors close and Liam rides back down, walking back to the hospital to tell Derek that his head is clear. 

+++

Liam had a long day at work and was just excited to get home and sleep in his bed for at least a few hours before he had to go back into work. Liam walked through the front doors of his building and gave the guy at the front desk a small smile and wave.

Liam presses the button to the elevator and waits for it to come down. Liam leans against the wall, scrolling through his phone, looking through his scheduled surgeries for the next two weeks. The elevator doors open and Liam walks on, his face still in his phone.

Liam finally locks his phone, going to slip it in his pocket before looking up to press the button to go to his floor. When Liam looks up there are lights hanging in the elevator, Theo standing in the corner, all dressed up. “Theo, what the hell is this?” Liam asks.

“Well I wanted to make this kind of special so,” Theo takes a breath in and gets down on one knee. “This is the first place that I met you, the first place that I knew it was going to be you. Elevators are kind of a thing for us I think. I met you in one, I kissed you for the first time in one, I told you I loved you in one, and you asked me to move in with you in one. So here I am proposing to you in one.”

“What?” Liam asks, smiling down at him.

“I love you Liam Dunbar, I love you so much that I moved in with you and I spend Christmas with your parents. You let me in and I let you in. When I asked you if you would marry me, you said yes. So Liam will you make it official? Will you marry me?” Theo asks, pulling a ring out of his breast pocket.

“Yes,” Liam says, letting Theo slip the ring on his finger. “I have one for you too,” Liam says, reaching into his pocket, “but you just beat me to the punch.”

Liam holds out the ring in front of him. Theo was smiling so hard, his cheeks splitting at the seam. Liam slips the ring onto Theo’s finger, smiling at how at home it looked there. “Damn, I am one lucky sucker,” Theo says, pulling Liam into a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in three parts because there is a little part of the story in each one. Two parts will be told in Liam’s point of view and one will be in Theo’s point of view. The reason that I did that was because there are parts of Theo’s story that Liam can not tell. All parts are different parts of the story that kind of piece together like a puzzle, you just have to read them all to get the whole picture. The things that happen in part two are before or after the things that happen in part one and part three is an alternant view of things in part one. There are obvious time jumps with the ‘+++’, things in part two and part three pair with each little story in part one. Once you start reading it won’t be as confusing. Enjoy :)


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